“Energy Minister Awais Leghari and Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghaddam discuss power connectivity, Gwadar electricity, renewable energy, and enhanced trade, reaffirming commitment to regional peace and strategic cooperation.”
ISLAMABAD, Thursday, August 6, 2026 (WNP): Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari on Thursday held talks with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on the energy sector, cross-border electricity trade, and broader economic collaboration.
During the meeting, the minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing its longstanding partnership with Iran and underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in energy, trade, connectivity, and regional stability.
Ambassador Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam thanked the Government and people of Pakistan for their steadfast support during challenging times and highlighted the close, brotherly ties between the two neighboring countries. He noted ongoing cooperation in the energy sector, including the existing cross-border electricity transmission infrastructure, and announced that work on a second transmission line is expected to begin soon.
He also said Iran is considering expanding the current 100 MW electricity supply to Pakistan to meet growing demand.
The ambassador announced that Pakistani energy institutions, including CPPA-G, QESCO, and NGC, would be invited to participate in the upcoming Pakistan-Iran Joint Commission meeting in Tehran. He also emphasized the potential for greater cooperation in agriculture and food products while appreciating Pakistan’s commitment to timely electricity payments.
Minister Leghari stressed that no country remains immune to regional instability and noted that Pakistan has also felt the impact of rising global energy prices, particularly due to higher RLNG costs. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and praised the close engagement between the leadership of Pakistan and Iran in promoting dialogue and addressing regional challenges.
The minister appreciated Iran’s uninterrupted electricity supply to Pakistan despite the challenging regional security environment and expressed interest in sending Pakistani technical experts to study the resilience of Iran’s power sector.
Highlighting the strategic significance of Gwadar, Leghari said the city’s continued development depends on a reliable electricity supply. While imports of electricity from Iran have remained uninterrupted, he emphasized the need for further investment in transmission infrastructure and local power generation to improve network reliability.
He further stated that electricity imports from Iran will remain an integral component of Pakistan’s long-term energy strategy, with demand expected to rise alongside Gwadar’s development. He also emphasized expanding renewable energy cooperation and developing two-way electricity trade between the two countries.
Accepting the minister’s invitation, Ambassador Moghaddam commended the leadership and diplomatic efforts of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, stating that their constructive engagement played a significant role in facilitating the peace talks held in Islamabad.
The ambassador said bilateral trade is expected to reach around US$4 billion by the end of the year and reaffirmed Iran’s interest in routing a significant portion of its trade through Pakistani ports.
He stressed that closer cooperation in energy, trade, and connectivity would be key to achieving this shared objective.
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in energy, trade, connectivity, and other areas of mutual interest while building upon the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Iran.
